Love-sick Blue

Love is not, it seems, all you need. A week after American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth and the DFW International Airport reached a pact to end the 26-year battle over Love Field, it’s already drawing fire. JetBlue is calling on Congress to reject the deal because it would prevent the upstart carrier from adding flights there, according to this story by Bloomberg News.

JetBlue, which just announced service to Hobby this week, says it’s interested in two gates at Love.

This underscores the enduring problem at Love. Flight restrictions at the airport are imposed by a federal law, but because it’s a regional issue, Congress has been reluctant to repeal them. So instead, Texas lawmakers urged the local parties to reach a solution. But because it’s a federal law, Congress has to approve it, and that means other parties with a vested interest, such as rival airlines, get to weigh in.

Even more bizarre, though, is this comment in the Bloomberg story from Southwest spokesman Ed Stewart, who dismissed JetBlue’s intervention as lacking merit:

“If they’re interested in serving north Texas there’s plenty of room” at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport.

It’s an odd statement coming from the airline that wants its passengers to be “free to move about the country.” It’s also strikingly similar to what American and other airlines used to say about Southwest back in the days when they wanted Love shuttered and all traffic routed through DFW.

JetBlue, of course, doesn’t want to fly from DFW for the same reason Southwest has avoided it all these years: it’s more expensive, and the taxi times are too long.

The problem for everyone at the signing table last week is that JetBlue’s argument makes sense. If Congress approves this deal, it’s basically choosing which airlines will fly from each airport.

None of this will be put to rest until the Wright Amendment is gone completely and Love Field is allowed to operate like any other airport.

UPDATE: Northwest Airlines is also getting in on the act, and according to this story in the Dallas Morning News, other discount carriers oppose the pact as well.

3 Responses

people wanna fly out of love field for the same reason the don’t wanna fly out of DFW too much hassle.

same thought on the west coast. People hate LAX so they fly out of Long Beach in California. user friendly airports!

In todays world the flying public demand 99 dollar fares all costs must be contained, landing fees taxi times, etc. people simply like user friendly airports.

every single time I go to DFW just finding a parking space is stressful…Love field, park and fly..no brainer. this repeal is a no brainer but not to hometown cooking. Be fair to all airlines and fares will come down and quality up.

On the airliners.net forum the rumour going on amongst LUV employees is this “agreement” was a deliberate strategy on the part of management to draw in criticism from other airlines. It’s time to immediately remove all restrictions, and with these other airlines criticizing it, Congress will finally act.

Southwest isn’t scared of competition from JetBlue. Their routes don’t even overlap. Nor are they aren’t saying similar things about their Hobby hub, where JetBlue is also coming. Just Love Field.

I agree with the rumours. I believe this was a deliberate effort on the part of Southwest.

“Flight restrictions at the airport are imposed by a federal law, but because it’s a regional issue, Congress has been reluctant to repeal them.”

Oh, please. Congress always sticks their noses into regional issues. Look no further than John Culberson and his “sanctuary” bill.

The compromise agreement is completely inconsistent with the behavior of Herb Kelleher. I have one theory on why he accepted it.

First, they did get immediate through-ticketing. This was a big one and definitely one of the most important issues.

But perhaps Herb figured that the gate reduction would be challenged in court by some like JetBlue. JetBlue could fight their fight, and it would be JetBlue paying the legal fees.

It’s also interesting that other carriers are FINALLY talking about the restrictions on Love Field. Why didn’t JetBlue say that they supported SWA’s cause before this compromise!? It’s about these other airlines said something about it. You would think they would want to do anything to take down AMR.

The Wright Amendment became a federal issue in 1979 because of Jim Wright. He later resigned from office in disgrace.

I also exchanged a few e-mails from an official with the Collin County Regional Airport in McKinney. They already have a 7,000-ft runway and are looking into commercial traffic there. They will also be competing with DFW.

Here are other metro areas that have multiple airports controlled by different airport authorities:

Tampa, St Petersburg, Sarasota

Los Angeles, Burbank, Long Beach, Orange County

San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose

Miami, Fort Lauderdale

The Wright Amendment never should have been passed and should be killed without mercy.

I live in Austin. How many DFW travelers come down to our little airport to avoid DFW’s air fares?